INDIANA – On Tuesday, the Indiana House sent Senate Bill 273 to the Governor’s desk for signing. This legislation will ensure that more insurance plans in the Hoosier state cover biomarker testing, a game changer in the fight against cancer and an essential step in accessing precision medicine treatments.
“Biomarker testing has given me better, more effective treatment options, a better chance of surviving cancer, and more time with my family,” said Keith Hollingsworth, a Hoosier husband and father of two young boys and stage 4 colorectal cancer patient. “Thank you to our state lawmakers who are giving more Hoosier better access to precision medicine and a chance of surviving cancer.”
The following is a statement from Allie Kast, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in Indiana:
“Biomarker testing and precision medicine are helping extend and improve lives by tailoring care and treatment to a person’s specific type of cancer. Over the past few months, we have heard countless stories of patients’ difficulties in attempting to access this critical testing. It’s time for that to change.
“This legislation will help address a significant barrier and bring the promise of precision medicine to more Hoosiers no matter their income or where they live. This can provide many benefits to patients, including better outcomes, improved quality of life, and, in some cases, reduced costs from bypassing ineffective therapies.
“ACS CAN thanks Senators Ed Charbonneau and Vaneta Becker, Representative Barrett, and our several coauthors and cosponsors for championing this effort and the legislature for approving this legislation. We urge the Governor to quickly sign this legislation into law so Indiana can take this significant step towards improving health outcomes and lowering health care costs.”
In 2024, approximately 14,280 Hoosiers will die from cancer. Improved access to biomarker testing can connect more patients to the most effective treatments, enabling more patients to live longer and have a better chance of beating cancer.
For more information on precision medicine, cancer biomarkers, current barriers to biomarker testing, and ACS CAN’s policy recommendations, visit www.fightcancer.org/biomarkers.
